Two caches of arms and explosives found in Iran, says intelligence ministry

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BEIRUT (Reuters) - Two large caches of bombs, explosives and ammunition, intended for use in “terrorist operations” in public areas, have been found in eastern and western Iran, the Islamic Republic’s ministry of intelligence said on Wednesday.

The cache found in eastern Iran consisted of 23 remote controlled bombs which were alleged to have been brought across the eastern border with the help of “Saudi intelligence services”, a statement, quoted by state media, said.

There was no immediate reaction from Riyadh.

Last June, Islamic State carried out attacks at the Iranian parliament in Tehran and the mausoleum of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, south of the capital, which killed at least 18 people.

Iran blamed Saudi Arabia for the attacks, a charge Riyadh denied.

The second cache was found in the town of Marivan in the Kurdish region of western Iran. The cache consisted of TNT, explosives kits, electronic detonators, grenades, ammunition clips for AK-47 machine guns and four rocket propelled grenades, the statement said.

A “terrorist group” brought the material from the Kurdish region of Iraq across the border into Iran, the intelligence ministry statement said, without elaborating.